Tim Easterby, who was on the mark on Knavesmire yesterday with Tier Worker, can follow-up tomorrow with Marton Moss in the Guilbert Ofrex Rated Handicap.

The Great Habton gelding, a winner at Ripon last June, also ran some good races in defeat during the course of the campaign.

Marton Moss always looked the type to really come into his own as a four-year-old and, after two outings this season, he should now be approaching his peak.

His latest effort, when fifth to Full Spate at Thirsk under top weight of 9st 11lb was a thoroughly solid performance.

From taking on lesser horses with a big weight, Marton Moss now takes on more talented rivals carrying a low weight. Equally effective over tomorrow's six furlongs as over the seven furlongs he faced at Thirsk, he will be well suited by the give in the ground.

With smart apprentice Robert Winston booked for the mount, Marton Moss is napped to give Easterby another York success.

Local trainers field a strong challenge for the Duke Of York Victor Chandler Stakes, but face a formidable rival in Sampower Star, trained in Wiltshire by Richard Hannon.

Few if any sprinters have created as big an impression this season as Sampower Star did when he romped home three lengths clear of his toiling opponents in a Listed race at Ascot last time.

Previously successful at Windsor, this son of Cyrano de Bergerac takes on older horses tomorrow and won't find it so easy. But he looks a top-class prospect in the making and is fancied to take all the beating.

The Merewood Homes Yorkshire Cup offers Silver Patriarch the chance to gain his second success of the campaign.

John Dunlop's gutsy grey responded to a brilliant ride from Pat Eddery to lift the Jockey Club Stakes at Newmarket two weeks ago. Unfortunately, Eddery misses the mount this time because of suspension and Mick Kinane takes the ride.

Deal Fair has much more on his plate in the Michael Seely Memorial Glasgow Stakes than when winning at Bath on his reappearance. But Henry Cecil's colt has the scope for a deal of improvement and it would be unwise to overlook his chances, despite the presence of some pretty formidable-looking opposition.

The Newton Investment Management Handicap over a mile looks a tricky race to solve, but Mustafhel figures on a reasonable mark and can fulfil the promise of his sixth-placed effort at Newmarket earlier in the month.

The EBF Maiden Stakes hosts Henry Cecil's first two-year-old runner of the season in Performing Magic. This American-bred colt is entitled to plenty of respect.

Raheen, who finished such a good fourth from an unfavourable draw in the Lincoln Handicap, met trouble in running in the Thirsk Hunt Cup 12 days ago and was unable to do himself justice.

Richard Fahey's charge is worth another chance in the Letts Diaries HBLB Rated Handicap.

Brilliant Musidora win makes Dubai red hot for the Oaks

Zahrat Dubai produced a stunning performance to win the Tattersalls Musidora Stakes on the first day of York's May Festival meeting.

The victory saw her odds for the Vodafone Oaks wither to 6-4.

The Godolphin-owned filly will bid to give the Dubai-based outfit its third Oaks success in six years and, although one of a number of possible runners, left connections unequivocal after she had slammed the previously unbeaten Mother Of Pearl.

"This is the Oaks filly," stressed Godolphin's racing manager Simon Crisford.

The big bookmakers needed no second confirmation, Hills cutting the Unfunwain filly from 10-1 to 7-4 - while pushing out previous favourite Ramruma to 5-1.

Sixth of 27 in a one-mile Newmarket maiden last October - albeit from a poor draw in a hot contest - hardly looked the sort of form to warrant Zahrat Dubai being sent off at 6-5 for yesterday's Group 3 contest.

However, armed with the knowledge of a bold effort in her Dubai trial, the bigpunters were out in force to attack the ring with £104,000 in major bets alone.

A searing burst of speed two furlongs out left the winning distance as the only matter to be resolved, and, although Mick Kinane spent the closing stages easing down Zahrat

Dubai, she still powered home five lengths clear of Mother Of Pearl.

Barafamy, another Group 3 winner, was a further six lengths back in third.

Crisford feels confident that a mile and a half round Epsom will suit Zahrat Dubai (which translates as Flower of Dubai) every bit as well as it suited Godolphin's previous Oaks winners Balanchine and Moonshell.

"She ran very well to finish just a neck behind Pescara in her trial race in Dubai," he said, "but that was over a mile and we knew she would be very good over today's distance."

York ban puts Darryl out of Classic races

Darryl Holland faces 31 days out of action after falling foul of the stewards for the third time in eight racing days at York yesterday.

The jockey's four-day ban for careless riding automatically triggered a six day ban that had initially been deferred when the Jockey Club's Disciplinary Committee handed him a 21-day suspension on Monday.

Holland now misses the Derby, the Oaks and the first day of Royal Ascot. Holland was reluctant to comment to reporters at York, but said: "I'll just have to take it on the chin."

However, trainer Mark Johnston, who gives Holland the bulk of his rides, described the rules a "disgrace", adding: "I haven't had the chance to see the race but the rules are crazy."

Yesterday's offence, committed on Now Look Here, a close third in the seven-furlong William Hill Handicap, followed bans for irresponsible riding on Hammer And Sickle at Doncaster and on Duelling Girl at Chester.

Holland begins his suspension today, and will be unable to ride in this country until the second day of Royal Ascot, although he can ride abroad when there is no racing in this country.

Stewards' secretary Patrick Hibbert-Foy explained that the York stewards had little alternative but to stand Holland down after he had allowed Now Look Here to drift left at the apex of the dog-leg turn into the straight, hampering at least four of those horses on his inside, especially Fearby Cross, who dropped back to last and was never able to get back on terms.

Holland was involved in a further incident in the closing stages but, while he was found to have interfered with runner-up Mayaro Bay - who in turn hampered Calcutta, - this interference was deemed to have been accidental and had not affected the placings.

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